A Federal Judge Just Nixed Trump’s Attempt to Drill the Arctic and Atlantic

EARTHJUSTICE

The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Photo by Diego Delso.

In a ruling issued from Alaska, a U.S. District Court has determined that President Trump overstepped his constitutional authority and violated federal law. More here.

Ontario Stops Nestlé in its Tracks

+SumOfUs Larry, Huge news -- the government in Ontario, Canada just issued a moratorium to block Nestlé  from sucking up water from a small community experiencing drought conditions! Thanks  to tireless work from grassroots groups and with support from over 168,000 SumOfUs members  who spoke out, submitted public comments and donated to blanket the airwaves with radio ads,  corporate giant Nestlé has been stopped in its tracks.  But the fight to stop Nestlé from bullying local communities isn’t over. The state of Michigan is weeks away from deciding on a plan to charge Nestlé just $200  for a permit to double the amount of groundwater it can take to bottle and sell at a  massive profit. Residents in Evart, Michigan need your help to stand up to Nestlé once again. Tell the State of Michigan to say no to this massive corporate giveaway. Stop Nestlé now. Our original email from last month: Nestlé's at it again. This time, it  wants to suck up 100M gallons of  groundwater in a tiny U.S. town  for just $200. How can the government hand  over its water for pennies so a giant corporation can profit? Tell  the state of Michigan to reject  this ridiculous deal. SIGN THE PETITION Larry, Nestlé's about to lock down another massive corporate giveaway of precious fresh water -- unless we can pressure the U.S. state of Michigan to stand up to the water bottling behemoth. Only miles away from Flint, Michigan -- where the local government switched the water supply and poisoned the community's water to save a few bucks -- the Michigan water authority is considering letting Nestlé double the amount of groundwater it takes to bottle and sell for profit. The cost to Nestlé? $200 a year. Tell Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality to cancel this ridiculous plan.

Obama Denies All Pending Permits for Seismic Airgun Blasting in Atlantic Ocean

EcoWatch

The Obama administration formally denied today all pending permits to conduct seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean. Seismic airgun blasting, an extremely loud and dangerous process used to search for oil and gas deposits deep below the ocean's surface, was originally proposed in an area twice the size of California, stretching from Delaware to Florida. Story here.

U.S., Canada ban offshore drilling in Arctic waters

CBCnews

U.S. President Barack Obama uses 1950s-era law called the Outer Continental Shelf Act. Story here.

Health Canada Will Take Dangerous Bee-Killing Pesticide Off The Market

Friends of the Earth

Health Canada’s PMRA has announced imidacloprid, one of the oldest and most widely used neonicotinoid pesticides, is being taken off the market. 



A Manitoba honeybee colony. PinP photo. 
It’s been found in just about every water body and it’s considered harmful to aquatic species and to creatures such as birds dependent on the aquatic species. Unfortunately, the PMRA is proposing a long 3-year phase-out. With your help, we want to accelerate this phase-out.

PinP: Oddly enough,  Health Canada did not even consider risks to pollinators in this re-evaluation. That will happen in a separate "risk assessment."  

Health Canada Release

The environmental assessment showed that, in aquatic environments in Canada, imidacloprid is being measured at levels that are harmful to aquatic insects. These insects are an important part of the ecosystem, including as a food source for fish, birds and other animals. Based on currently available information, the continued high volume use of imidacloprid in agricultural areas is not sustainable.

The environmental assessment also found that there is a potential risk to birds and small mammals from feeding on seeds that are treated with imidacloprid, however, it is expected that good agricultural practices and equipment could reduce this type of exposure.
The health assessment did not identify human health concerns from any exposure route when used according to current label standards.

RELATED: New Studies Show Farm Chemicals Are Affecting More Than Bees. Bird Populations are Declining, Too. Is modern agriculture’s toxic hold on nature becoming a death grip?

Nearly 200 Nations Agree to Cut HFCs to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

CBCnews

HFCs considered the world's fastest-growing climate pollutant. Story here.

No Seismic Blasting In Canadian Arctic This Year!

Greenpeace Canada

Seismic cannons will not blast through the waters of Baffin Bay and Davis Strait this year, giving Nunavut communities and marine life another summer of relief from the threats of dangerous oil exploration.  More here.

Celebrating 20 Years of Campaigning to Safeguard the Great Bear Rainforest

GREENPEACE

At long last, today we celebrate the culmination of over twenty years of campaigning to safeguard the Great Bear Rainforest. More here.

COP21 Deal Signed, Ending Fossil Fuel Era: Experts

NATIONAL

OBSERVER

History was made today in Paris as the leaders of 195 nations agreed to an ambitious, science-based pact to move the world away from the fossil fuels that are to blame for the rapid increase in global temperatures. More here.

After Decades of Discrimination, US Farm Workers Get Pesticide Protections

Common Dreams

Environmental Protection Agency creates new rules giving equal protection against pesticides to farm workers. Story here.

With New Ban on Cultivation, Northern Ireland Joins EU's Anti-GMO Ranks

Common Dreams

Environment minister expresses "concern" that growing GMOs would tarnish nation's "clean and green image.” Story here.

A Big Garden Chain Has Stopped Selling "Neonics!" Thanks For Signing!

Larry, We’re buzzing: Lowe’s, one of the world’s biggest home and garden retailers, just announced it’s no longer going to sell bee-killing "neonic" pesticides. There’s no way Lowe’s would have done this without you and almost a million other SumOfUs members. Together with Friends of the Earth, SumOfUs members have been pushing Lowe’s to save the bees for almost two years -- and it worked! We’re at a critical moment in the fight to stop the mass bee die-off -- with this move, we can push other big retailers and governments to save the bees as well. Here are three easy ways you can help right now: 1. Make a donation to keep the momentum up -- your gift will supercharge the Save the Bees campaign! 2. Share this image on your Facebook wall celebrating this huge victory for the bees! 3. Forward this email to five of your friends and show them that people power works.

Church of England Ends Investments in Heavily Polluting Fossil Fuels

TheGuardian

The Church of England has pulled its money out of two of the most polluting fossil fuels as part of what it calls its moral responsibility to protect the world’s poor from the impact of global warming. Story here.

The Guardian Media Group Begins Divesting its Huge Fossil Fuels Portfolio

The Guardian

 It is the largest fund globally to make such a commitment. Story here. 

Sun News Network to Shut Down Permanently: Sources

CBC News

Right-of-centre news network had trouble attracting viewers

Canadian Climate Scientist Wins $50,000 In Libel Lawsuit Against Conservative Newspaper

climateprogress

A prominent Canadian climatologist, Andrew Weaver (l.),  has won his libel lawsuit against The National Post, after a judge decided that the newspaper had published several articles that were both inaccurate and defamatory to his character. Story here.

Wales Says No To Fracking Until ‘Proven Safe’

climateprogress

On Wednesday, the Welsh parliament voted in favor of a measure calling on the government to prevent fracking from taking place “until it is proven to be safe in both an environmental and public health context.” Story here.

The Sale of Monsanto's Toxic Weedkiller is Banned in the Netherlands!

SumOfUs

The government of the Netherlands just took a huge step to protect its citizens and banned Monsanto’s super-toxic pesticide Roundup – and it's time more countries did the same. Sign here.

PinP photo.

Three Major Oil Companies Give Up On Arctic Exploration

True Activist

As the price of oil continues to drop, oil companies are having less of an incentive to spend their resources extracting oil from new and difficult places. Story here. 

A Court Orders Canada's Yukon Territory to Consult Again on a Plan For the Storied Peel Watershed.

The Canadian Press

WHITEHORSE - First Nations and environmental groups scored a major victory today as a judge ordered Yukon's government to go back to the consultation stage over preservation of the massive Peel River watershed (above). Story here.